


Dogs, foxes, monsters, and ninja, oh my!

by hkandi



Category: Naruto
Genre: Ages changed, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Candy, Candy candy candy, F/M, Gen, Halloween, Hatake Kakashi Is A Brat, Hatake Kakashi is Bad at Feelings, Iruka is so done, Iruka's plans change, Let's dress like ninjas!, M/M, Naruto is Just Naruto, Shipoween, There's always that one scary house, Trick or Treating, Wear costumes even if you're staying in this year, spooky story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:07:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27127657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hkandi/pseuds/hkandi
Summary: When Iruka's Halloween plans change, he tries to make the most of it and have fun trick or treating with the kids, along with Kurenai and Asuma. Kakashi gets roped along for the night, in part thanks to, separately, Itachi and Gai. Now, if only Iruka and Kakashi could get along for the night...Or, that one Halloween where Itachi kind of ruins Iruka's and Kakashi's original Halloween plans...
Relationships: Dai-hachi-han | Team 8 & Yuuhi Kurenai, Gai-han | Team Guy & Maito Gai | Might Guy, Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi & Maito Gai | Might Guy, Hatake Kakashi & Umino Iruka, Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka, Rookie Nine & Umino Iruka, Rookie Nine & Uzumaki Naruto, Sarutobi Asuma & Dai-jippan | Team 10, Sarutobi Asuma/Yuuhi Kurenai, Umino Iruka & Uzumaki Naruko
Comments: 6
Kudos: 58
Collections: Shipoween 2020 - The Halloween Ship Exchange!





	Dogs, foxes, monsters, and ninja, oh my!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [beelzebubble_tea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/beelzebubble_tea/gifts).



> Happy Halloween!

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

"Ready, kiddo?" Iruka shouted, standing by the front door.

"Coming!" Naruto shouted back, and ran out from his room, down the hallway, grabbing a backpack as he went.

"Looking good!" Iruka said, smiling. "Let's go!"

They locked up and jumped in the car, tuning the radio to the local oldies station where hits like "Monster Mash" played.

"Halloween! Woo!" Naruto shouted, bouncing in his seat. "I can't wait to get candy!"

Iruka laughed and reached over to tussle his hair as he drove. "Remember, you only get a few pieces tonight, and you'll have to pace yourself for the rest."

"Aww, but Iruka," Naruto whined. "What if I promise to share it with you?"

Iruka laughed again. "Well, how can I say no to that?"

They continued to talk about Halloween and their favorite candies and costumes as they drove, the sun starting to make its descent.

"Here we are," Iruka said, pulling up outside a large house and parking. "I'll walk you up and say hello to Sasuke's family."

They walked up the front door path, passing through a carefully manicured lawn, and rang the bell.

The front door opened, and a pink haired girl smiled.

"Hi, Naruto! Hi, Iruka!"

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted. "What's your costume?"

"I'm a doctor, duh," Sakura said, rolling her eyes.

Iruka smiled. "It's a nice costume," he said. "Very authentic scrubs."

"Thanks!" she said, grinning. "Dr Tsunade gave them to me. I also have a stethoscope to wear. Come on in, we're eating snacks in the kitchen."

They entered and Naruto left his bag by the door as they followed her to the Uchiha's large kitchen, where Sasuke was sat at the kitchen island counter.

"Teme," Naruto greeted his friend, and Iruka lightly slapped the back of his head. "Ow!"

"Manners," Iruka prompted him.

"Dobe," Sasuke grunted, and Iruka sighed.

"Sasuke!" Iruka groaned. "Really?"

Sakura giggled and grabbed waters from the fridge for the newcomers, passing them out.

"Thank you, Iruka said to her, turning to Sasuke. "That's an interesting costume."

"I'm a lone avenger from a popular anime," Sasuke said, wearing a grey shirt with a high collar, black pants, and an intricate purple woven belt.

"Cool!" Naruto said. "I'm a fox!"

"You look like a cat," Sasuke sighed.

"Nuh-uh!" Naruto shouted. "I'm a fox! Whiskers, ears, tail, paws!" he said, running through different items of his costume. "The colors! This is a fox!"

"Or an orange cat," Sasuke commented. "No costume, Iruka?"

Iruka laughed and grabbed some chips from a bowl. "Not this year, with you at least. After all, Itachi's taking you kids trick or treating, and Naruto's sleeping over here tonight, so I'm heading to a friend's place when I leave here to change there for a party they're throwing."

"Itachi's not here," Sasuke said, nonchalantly. "One of my parent's out of town clients called for a work thing last minute and he went to help. It all just happened while we were at school this afternoon."

"Boy am I glad it's Friday!" Sakura sighed, and Naruto nodded.

"It'd be so lame if we had school tomorrow," the blond agreed.

Iruka frowned. "Wait, and your parents were aready out of town...if your family is gone, who's watching you, Sasuke?"

"Iruka," Naruto whined. "We're practically adults, we don't need babysitters."

"You're all ten," Iruka laughed. "Far from adults. But really, who's here?"

"Kakashi," Sasuke said, then repeated the name, calling out loudly. "Kakashi! My friends are here!" He turned back to his guests. "He's an old friend of the family, my parents have known him for forever."

"Maa, my ears are burning," a new voice said, and Kakashi meandered into the kitchen, hands in his pants pockets. He looked at Iruka and Naruto and blinked at them.

"You look old," Naruto said, and Iruka lightly slapped the back of his head.

"Manners!" Iruka scolded him, again.

"But he does!" Naruto pouted, rubbing the back of his head. "He's got grey hair!"

"Silver," Kakashi corrected him. "And I'm not old. I'm, like, one year older than Itachi."

"So not much older than Iruka," Naruto said, narrowing his eyes at him.

"But you do look older," Sakura added. "Though, your face is young."

"Is your scar part of a costume?" Naruto asked him, motioning to his eye.

"It's real," Kakashi said, shrugging.

"Cool!" Naruto said. "So is Iruka's!"

Kakashi looked at Iruka's scar at the top of his nose, and the younger man shrugged.

"It's your hairstyle," Sakura suddenly said, nodding. "That's why you look young even with grey hair."

Kakashi rolled his eyes and shook his head so that a bit fell in front of his face. "There, happy?"

The kids laughed and it was Iruka's turn to roll his eyes.

"Should I confirm Kakashi being here with your family, Sasuke?" he asked.

"You don't trust me?" Kakashi gasped, and Iruka sighed.

"I don't know you, and I've been around this family for a bit."

"Kakashi's been busy, and in and out of Konoha here and there," Sasuke said. "You can see a few pictures of him with Itachi in the living room," the Uchiha said to Iruka, who nodded and left briefly to check it out.

He came back a few minutes later. "All good. Well, how about I get a group photo of you all before I leave?"

"And where do you think you're going?" Kakashi asked, as the kids stood to pose together.

Iruka wrinkled his brow as he looked up from his phone briefly, before turning back to focusing on the kids. "To a party. Itachi was taking them trick or treating, so that leaves you to do it."

He snapped a few pictures, with the kids striking different poses and laughing.

"No," Kakashi said, leaning against the island. "I'm just here to make sure the house doesn't burn down. You're taking them out."

Iruka turned to look at him and put his hands on his hips as he glared at him. "You're here as Sasuke's guardian, and Naruto is sleeping over."

"Aren't you Naruto's....whatever you are?" Kakashi countered. 

"Guardian, and best dad type person ever!" Naruto chimed in.

"Exactly," Kakashi said, shrugging. "And you know Naruto and Sakura better than I do."

"You're both taking them!" a new voice chimed in, and the men turned in unison to see....Itachi on facetime, on Sasuke's phone.

"What?!" Kakashi and Iruka shouted, and Sasuke passed them the phone, which the men took into another room.

Itachi shrugged. "Hey, guys. Kakashi, Iruka. Iruka, Kakashi. Two of my friends, now meeting finally. You'll both take them out since you're already there. Iruka, I apologize for the inconvenience, but you are good with kids...."

Iruka shrugged but didn't argue.

"Where's my apology?" Kakashi asked.

Itachi shrugged again. "Kakashi, you signed up for this, you probably just ignored me when I said it would involve taking them out. You can support Iruka and keep him company when the kids are running around."

"But Itachi," Iruka began, "I have plans for tonight. I was heading to a party, and I have a great costume! And Kotetsu has a friend for me to meet, and his pictures are really hot..."

Itachi frowned. "Sorry, Iruka. I owe you one. But, hey, Kakashi is single and in the market for a boyfriend too! Maybe you two will hit it off?"

Iruka huffed, puffing his cheeks out. "You can't just try to play matchmaker when you're stealing our Halloween."

"I agree," Kakashi said. "It's a Friday night, we won't get a weekend Halloween for ages!"

"Uh, next year?" Itachi reminded them. "Again, I owe you both. We'll figure something out. But, I have to go to a meeting, I'll talk to you guys later. Oh, and Iruka, feel free to also crash there with Kakashi, Sasuke, and Naruto. Order pizza, on me!"

He hung up, leaving the two men looking at at the phone in silence, before turning to look at each other.

Iruka frowned. "This isn't fair."

"You're telling me," Kakashi sighed. "The last thing I want to do is take kids around to steal candy and get hyped on sugar."

"It's not stealing, it's trick or treating," Iruka said, shaking his head. "Are you for real?"

They returned to the kitchen, where the kids looked up at their entrance.

"Well?" Naruto asked, and Iruka shrugged.

"Looks like we're both taking you out," he said, and the kids cheered.

"Iruka! Go put on your costume!" Naruto said, and the Sasuke and Sakura agreed.

"Uh..." Iruka said, feeling his face flush slightly. "It's....I mean..."

"What, is it not appropriate around the kids?" Kakashi asked, in a flat tone, and Iruka turned to glare at him.

"It's not that, it's just...quite flattering."

"He looks like a real ninja in it!" Naruto said. "Since he actually does martial arts, he looks amazing in it!"

"Thank you, Naruto. And what will you be wearing?" Iruka asked Kakashi with a smirk. "Since we're all going out."

"Nothing," Kakashi shrugged. "I don't wear costumes."

"But you have to!" Sakura said, and Iruka laughed.

"Why don't you guys help him figure out a costume while I get dressed?" Iruka suggested, leaving to get his costume from the car.

____

A short time later, Iruka emerged from a bathroom, in costume.

"Wow, you look so cool!" Sakura said.

Iruka smiled and looked at his costume. He had on a version of a shinobi uniform from a popular anime, that he had spent time tailoring to make sure it fit extra well, seeing as he had expected to be meeting someone that night.

"Thanks!" he said, smiling as he adjusted the headband on hs forehead. "Where's Kakashi?"

"Woof," the other man said, as he entered the room, wearing the same clothes as before, a blue dress shirt and dark jeans, with the addition of a DIY'd dog ears headband sticking out of his hair.

"Kakashi said he has a bunch of dogs, so I thought he should be a dog," Sakura said, proudly.

"It looks very nice," Iruka said to her, before he turned to Kakashi. "Nice ears."

"It's a costume," Kakashi said, shrugging. "We're not all adults who spend how much time and money dressing up for the night?" he drawled.

Iruka frowned and narrowed his eyes at him. "Kids, why don't you get ready and we'll head out soon? It's starting to get dark."

The others began to scurry around to prepare to leave and Iruka crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"I told you, I had a party to go to. You know, a Halloween party, where adults go and dress in costume? Dance and have fun? Things it doesn't seem like you know about."

"I know fun isn't taking kids out on a Friday night," Kakashi said. "But seeing you in those pants all night will be," he said, winking at Iruka before leaving the room.

Iruka opened and closed his mouth as he tried to process the other man's comment, before giving up, tucking his phone into a pocket in his green vest, and leaving the room himself.

______

They set off in the neighborhood, walking behind the kids as they started to go house to house.

After finishing in that neighborhood, they returned to Sasuke's house, where the kids grabbed new bags before loooking around for quick snacks and talking about the next neighborhood to go to.

Kakashi sighed. "We're not done yet?"

"No!" the kids shouted at him.

"We haven't met up with our friends yet for their neighborhood," Sasuke said.

"Why didn't they meet up at yours?" Kakashi asked, and Sasuke shrugged.

"They have a bigger neighborhood, so they didn't want to do an extra one on top of it," he said.

"Plus, we wanted to start earlier," Sakura added.

"A bigger one?" Kakashi groaned. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Afraid not," Iruka said. "All part of the fun, though!"

Kakashi looked blankly at him. "You call this fun?"

"It is if you wear a proper costume and steal candy from them from time to time," Iruka said, reaching into Naruto's previous pillowcase and snatching a mini candy bar.

"Iruka!" Naruto shrieked, laughing.

"Candy tax," Iruka reminded him. "Just the start, you know that."

Kakashi looked at him with a raised eyebrow as Iruka unwrapped the snack size bar as they all headed out to Iruka's car.

"What?" Iruka asked, eating it.

"Candy tax?"

Iruka shrugged as they got in and set off. "Yeah, I mean, I'm too old to go trick or treating on my own, but I like candy too...so..."

"So, you're basically just using Naruto to do the work for you? Then stealing from him? Tsk tsk," Kakashi said, and Iruka shook his head, his focus remaining on the road.

"It's all for fun," Iruka pointed out. "I mostly take the candy he doesn't want, plus a few of my favorites. No harm, no foul."

"Whatever," Kakashi said, rolling his eyes.

"You're so...not fun," Iruka sighed.

"Not the first time I've heard that, probably not the last," Kakashi said. "Why did we drive?"

"The kids will be exhausted later, so a short drive now would be a longer walk then," Iruka explained.

Kakashi considered this as they drove, the kids in the backseat talking about candy and strategies.

Soon, they parked in front of a house. 

"What the...what are we doing here?" Kakashi asked. "Isn't this the Nara's house?"

"Yep! This where our friends gathered," Naruto said as they got out. "Like, a pit stop before we go out again!"

"YOUR COSTUMES ARE AMAZING! WONDROUS WORKS OF ART!" they heard someone bellow.

Kakashi sighed, and the kids laughed as they ran in.

"Hey, Gai," Kakashi said as he and Iruka entered.

"Rival! What are you doing here?"

"I agreed to watch Sasuke and got roped into taking the kids out," Kakashi sighed. 

"And you have a new friend?! I didn't know you were so social these days!" Gai shouted, shaking Iruka's hand excitedly.

"This is Iruka," Kakashi introduced. "Sasuke's friend's guardian person."

"Iruka! Nice to meet you!" Gai shouted, continuing to shake his hand, before holding him by the shoulders at arm's length. "Your costume! So intricate! So realistic! So perfect!"

Iruka blushed. "Th-thank you? I was supposed to go to a party, so I made it for that, but I figured, why not wear it to take the kids out too?" he said, smiling. "Your costume is...nice...as well..."

"And from the same anime!" Gai said, striking a pose. "Come, we're all in the dining room!"

They followed him, and Iruka gave Kakashi a questioning look.

"Good friend of mine," he said, shrugging.

"He's very committed to the costume," Iruka whispered. "Not many grown men wear full body spandex. And that wig is crazy realistic!"

Kakashi leaned towards him. "It's not a wig, and that's how he usually wears his hair," he whispered into Iruka's ear, laughing as the other man's eyes widened.

They found themselves in a bustling room full of kids running around in costume and a group of adults eating and taking pictures, some in costume, some not.

Iruka went to greet the other adults, clearly knowing them all, as well as the kids, and Gai led Kakashi to get food and say hello to the Naras, as Kakashi had known them for quite some time.

"No costume?" Kakashi heard a gruff voice say after he had parted from the hosts, and turned towards it only to frown.

"You're kidding me, right?" he sighed.

"You don't like our costumes?" Kurenai said. "Asuma is Frankenstein, and I'm the bride of Frankenstein. Fitting, since we're engaged this year," she said, kissing Asuma's cheek.

"You look....like it took a while to get into costume," Kakashi said. "You headed to a party?"

"No," Asuma said. "We're helping take the kids out, along with my nephew. He's dressed like a...well...I don't know what he's dressed like, but he's around here somewhere."

"What about you?" Kurenai asked. "Just dog ears?"

Kakashi sighed. "Itachi was supposed to watch Sasuke since their parents are out of town, but then he got called out for work, so I said I'd watch him. The kids made me wear the ears..."

"And you're coming trick or treating too? How nice!" Kurenai said, smiling.

"Hardly," Kakashi said. "I got roped into it by Itachi, along with Iruka."

"Iruka's here?" Asuma asked, looking around. "Where is he? Oh, I see him! Let me go say hi."

Kakashi watched him leave and turned to Kurenai. "He knows him?"

"We all know him," Kurenai said. "Iruka and I met in grad school, and Asuma lived in the same building as him for a bit. And he taught almost everyone's kids last year," she said waving around at the other parents. 

"Huh," Kakashi said. "Small world."

Before he could say more, the kids were gathered for group photos, and last minute bathroom trips and costume adjustments were being made.

"Well, since you guys and Kurenai are taking the kids out," Kakashi said to Iruka and Asuma as they were heading to the door, "it looks like I'm not needed. I'll head back to the Uchiha's place, see you when you finish."

"Itachi said we're both in charge tonight, and that we're both supposed to take the kids out," Iruka said, crossing his arms as they stood outside. "So, no."

"Maa, it's fine, he'll understand. Just don't lose a kid," Kakashi offered.

"Rival! How great is it we're escorting the youth on this most beautiful night!" Gai interrupted, slinging an arm around Kakashi. "And look! I had a spare headband, you can wear it and match Iruka and myself!"

The adults smiled as Gai held out a blue headband with a silver plate, and Kakashi stared at it.

"It would clash with my ears," he said, motioning to the headband, but Gai smiled and tied it around his head regardless.

"You can have both!" he shouted. "Picture! Picture! Let's have a shinobi picture!"

Kurenai laughed and whipped out her phone to capture the moment, as Gai stood between Iruka and Kakashi. He and Iruka struck poses while Kakashi stared blankly at the camera.

"Kakashi!" Kurenai sighed. "Do something fun."

Instead, he sighed and pulled the headband down over his left eye.

"C for effort!" Asuma shouted, laughing. "You guys should spar for a picture!"

Iruka and Gai laughed and began to playfully spar, throwing and blocking punches and kicks, dancing around Kakashi as they did, to the excitment of the children, before Gai ran off to lead the group.

"Those look good!" Iruka said, looking at Kurenai's phone. "You should send me some."

"Sure!" Kurenai said. "Look," she said, holding the phone towards Kakashi and flicking through her camera roll.

Kakashi nodded. "Pretty good, I have to admit. You look like you know what you're doing," he said to Iruka, who smiled.

"You bet, I've been taking lessons for years!"

"Does it come in handy as a teacher?" Kakashi laughed, and Iruka smiled.

"More as stress relief than anything, plus sometimes I teach and make a few extra bucks," he said. "Do we have everyone?"

"I hope so, this is a lot of kids," Kakashi sighed, as they all set off. 

Iruka counted. "Well, thirteen kids, and five adults. It's not too bad," he said, shrugging.

"And is that a dog?" Kakashi asked.

"Yep, Kiba takes him wherever he can. But I thought you liked dogs?" Iruka asked.

"I do, I just don't know I'd take them out for this," Kakashi said.

"That's because he has so many of them," Kurenai added. "What, ten dogs?" she asked, and Iruka's eyes widened.

"Eight, thank you," Kakashi corrected her.

"For now," Asuma joked. "When are you adopting the next stray?"

"You have eight dogs? All strays?" Iruka asked, and Kakashi nodded. "Huh, I guess you have a nice bone in your body somewhere," Iruka said, laughing, before Naruto called him away.

"Start out on the wrong side with him?" Asuma asked, and Kakashi shrugged.

"Let's just say it wasn't my idea to come out tonight..."

______

To Kakashi's relief, the night was fairly uneventful. The kids stayed together in their medium sized crowd, and the adults hung out at the rear, watching over them and thanking the neighbors giving out candy.

A few houses here and there offered the adults candy as well, with several applauding their costumes and enthusiasm for taking the children out.

"Here," Kakashi said to Iruka, holding out candy he had received.

"What's this?" Iruka asked, surprised, as he put some of his own candy in his vest, still holding one piece to eat.

"Peace offering?" Kakashi suggested, shrugging.

Iruka accepted it and smiled, but his face fell when Kakashi continued.

"Plus, after seeing you spar with Gai, I don't want you to murder me in my sleep tonight," Kakashi said, putting his hands in his pockets and walking away.

Iruka shot a halfhearted glare at his retreating back but put the new candy away regardless.

"Does he ever just say anything nice?" he asked Asuma and Kurenai as they walked together, and the two exchanged a look as they walked hand in hand.

"Sometimes," Kurenai said. "He's just..." She waved her free hand, unsure of what to say.

"He's Kakashi," Asuma offered, and Kurenai smiled and nodded.

"What does that even mean?" Iruka sighed.

"A little rough around the edges," Asuma said.

"And a litle socially awkward," Kurenai said. "But he means well."

Iruka huffed, his cheeks puffing with the exhale. "I guess we'll see about that..."

The kids, up ahead, seemed to be in deep discussion, with several looking startled.

"I don't believe it," Sasuke sighed.

Sakura, Ino, and Hinata joined their hands and huddled together as they walked.

"It's true," Shikamaru said, and Choji nodded.

"Uncle Asuma, is it true?" Konohamaru said, running back to his uncle and pulling on his pants leg.

Asuma picked him up as they walked. "Is what true?"

"They said that there's a monster house in the neighborhood!" his nephew stated, worriedly.

Iruka exchanged a look with Asuma and Kurenai.

"What?" the adults asked, looking at the older kids.

The group paused at a corner.

"There is," Shikamaru said.

"Yep!" Choji added. "Monsters live there, disguised as humans."

"They have a large beehive," Shino said, nodding.

Kakashi sighed heavily. "Are you kidding me? How would you even know they're monsters if they look like humans?"

The kids rolled their eyes at him and Iruka snickered.

"Duh, you just know!" Tenten said, stamping her foot. 

"Which house is it?" Gai asked.

"It's a few blocks over," Shikamaru said. "I'll point it out when we get near it."

They resumed walking, and Iruka sighed.

"I have an even scarier story for tonight," he said to Kurenai. "About the single teacher who was supposed to hook up with a hot friend of a friend, and instead ended up going trick or treating."

"There's still a hot friend of a friend for you tonight," Kurenai whispered, nodding ahead of them.

Iruka followed her gaze and couldn't hold back a smile when he saw Kakashi was kneeling, tying Hinata's shoe for her. She shyly thanked him and ran to join her friends.

Kakashi stood and stretched and found himself at the back of their group with Iruka and Kurenai.

"So, monsters, huh?" Kakashi asked the others.

"I guess we'll find out," Iruka laughed.

"Will you protect me from them?" Kakashi asked Iruka, bumping elbows, and Iruka looked at him with surprise as Kurenai raised a hand to hide her smile and sped up to talk to Gai.

"Afraid of monsters and things that go bump in the night?" Iruka asked, unwrapping another piece of candy.

"Maybe," Kakashi said, scratching his chin. "Is that a no?"

"It's not a yes," Iruka said. "I'd have to protect the kids before I protect a grown man."

"Ah, that's fair," Kakashi sighed. "Even though I'm a ninja dog?" he said, making puppy eyes at Iruka, who laughed.

"No one can resist ninja puppy dog eyes," Iruka sighed, and Kakashi winked at him before moving to join Gai, who was calling out for him.

Iruka watched him go as he followed the others, smiling to himself, and starting to think maybe he should keep an open mind about the other man...

______

"That's the house," the kids whispered as they approached a corner, looking down the street.

"It looks...normal," Sakura said.

"Too normal," Ino said, flipping her ponytail.

"That's part of the appeal," Neji sighed, and several of the boys nodded.

"It has to look normal, otherwise we'd suspect it right away," Shikamaru reminded them.

"Then how did you find out?" Asuma asked, and the kids exchanged a look.

"We heard it from some of our other friends at school," Kiba said. "So now everyone knows.

The adults nodded, keeping in laughter.

"Of course, everyone knows," Kurenai said in a serious tone, her eyes smiling.

"Without a doubt, it's that one," Iruka said, crossing his arms.

"So what's the plan?" Kakashi asked, and the kids exchanged a look of surprise. "You don't have one?"

"We do!" Naruto shouted, and the others shushed him. "We're...uh..."

"Going to go to their house for candy," Sasuke sighed. "It's in the middle of the block, we can't avoid them. It would be too obvious"

"Right!" Lee shouted. "We will just stick together and make sure everyone is accounted for before and after!"

"A smart plan, Lee!" Gai applauded him. "Simple yet effective!"

The others agreed, but decided to go down the opposite side of the block first.

"Uncle Asuma!" Konohamaru cried. "I don't want to go without you!"

Asuma laughed and ruffled his nephew's hair. "Then I'll go with you, okay?"

"Kurenai too!" the young boy cried, and she nodded.

"How about we all go with you?" she offered, and to her surprise, most of the children nodded.

And so, their large group approached the house.

"Is it just me, or are the other kids avoiding this one?" Kakashi asked, looking around.

"Now that you mention it," Iruka said, "I think so?"

They shrugged and the group headed up the walkway, past well manicured bushes decorated with fake cobwebs, beyond inflatable cartoonish Halloween figures on the lawn.

Orange lights lit the path to the front door, where a light was shining brightly.

"Someone has to knock," Iruka reminded the group, and the kids exchanged a worried look.

However, before they could discuss it further, the front door flew open and several people spilled out.

A man and a woman, seemingly parents, along with an older woman, and a teenage boy, dressed in Halloween sweaters that to some might be festive, to others, horrendous, smiled.

"Finally!" the younger woman said. "Kids!"

"We thought we wouldn't get any trick or treaters," the older woman said. "Here you go, take a few pieces each, we have so much!"

"I don't know why we haven't gotten any kids tonight," the boy sighed. "Can we just give them all the candy and turn the light off?"

"Oh hush!" the younger woman said. "Let's see their costumes first!"

The adults from the house cooed over their costumes for what felt like forever.

"Yeah, yeah, real nice," the younger boy said, rolling his eyes.

"Such nice human costumes!" the older man said, clapping. "Such attention to detail!"

The kids looked at them with wide eyes, as did the adults in the group.

"You look amazing!" the older woman agreed. "So realistic! You got their features perfect, and such a variety of faces!"

"All we have are these sweaters," the younger woman said. "We'll have to do better in the future. Maybe different holiday ones for the winter holidays?"

"At a minimum," the older man agreed.

"Thank you for the candy!" Naruto suddenly shouted. "We have to get going now!"

The kids nodded, shouting various agreeing responses, and practically ran out, as their adults also thanked the family and left.

"Are we all here?" Lee shouted, and the kids checked to confirm no one was missing, before they continued to other houses.

"What was all that about?" Kurenai asked the other adults, and even Gai was speechless.

"That was....strange," Kakashi admitted.

"You don't think..." Iruka said, pausing.

"It can't be!" Gai agreed, but cleared his throat awkwardly.

Asuma scratched his beard. "They probably didn't mean it that way..."

But the group was silent as they walked, deep in thought.

_______

"I can't wait to get home and crash," Kurenai sighed, as the night wound down and they headed back to Shikamaru's house. "Okay, who's taking who home?"

"I will be taking Neji, Tenten, Hinata, and Lee," Gai said.

"And we're taking most of the others," Asuma said. "We're passing Shino's house on the way, so he's good. Ino's parents are picking her and Sakura up from the Nara's, and I think Choji's parents are getting him from there. We're taking Konohamaru home, and we're dropping off Kiba and Akamaru."

"And Sasuke and Naruto are with us," Iruka offered. "So, we're good."

They soon found themselves at the Nara's house, and greeted the other parents before they began dispersing.

"Ready?" Iruka asked Naruto and Sasuke, who nodded.

"I'm texted Itachi to order us pizza," Sasuke said. "It should be there soon."

"Great, I'm starving!" Naruto said. "All this walking was fun, but I'm beat."

"This is why I drove," Iruka whispered to Kakashi, as they saw the kids were walking slower than they had been earlier in the night.

They piled into the car and made the short drive to Sasuke's house. When they had parked, the kids ran ahead, their pillowcases of candy jostling against them, and Kakashi soon joined them. Iruka followed after grabbing a gym bag from the car.

"Going somewhere?" Kakashi asked as Iruka brought it in.

"Oh, no," Iruka said. "This is just gym clothes, clean ones. I didn't get to the gym the other night as I was helping Naruto with his costume, and since I didn't plan on staying the night here, I don't have anything else comfortable to sleep in."

The doorbell rang then, and Iruka went to answer it, returning with two pizza pies and a soda a moment later.

"Can we just take food up to Sasuke's room?" Naruto asked. "We want to watch scary movies!"

"If it's okay with Sasuke," Iruka said, "and if you don't make a mess. But first we have to go through your candy, both of you, make sure there's nothing that shouldn't be there."

To Kakashi's surprise, neither boy argued and spilled out their bags of candy in separate piles as they began to eat. The older man watched as Iruka helped them to go through it, and the kids began to pick out different candies, setting aside enough together to make a small pile.

"Okay," Iruka said. "Now pick out what you want for tonight, I'm not letting you guys go up with so much candy."

The kids sighed but did as asked, and Sasuke brought out a bowl each for he and Naruto to put that night's candy into, and a third bowl for the other small pile, before they put the rest of the candy back in their separate pillowcases. Naruto placed his near the front door, and Sasuke left his in the kitchen.

"Now?" they asked, and Iruka laughed.

"Go on," he said, and the kids grabbed a bowl of candy each, the soda, cups, and a pizza.

"What was all that about?" Kakashi asked.

"What?"

"You really went through their candy?"

Iruka shrugged. "You're supposed to, to make sure there's nothing wrong with it, or if anything looks...weird."

Kakashi laughed. "Like what, all those urban legends come to life?"

"Well, we did see the spooky house," Iruka replied, shrugging one shoulder. "Better safe than sorry."

"So is that all the bad candy?" Kakashi asked, nodding towards the bowl of candy the kids had left, and Iruka laughed.

"No, that's apparently what they didn't want, so that's ours." He frowned as he looked around. "The kids took the soda, I guess it's okay if we look in the fridge for something else to drink?"

Kakashi nodded. "Itachi texted that he put beer in the fridge before he left, want one?"

Iruka smiled and nodded. "That sounds good, actually. I'm going to change first," he said, as he went to grab his gym bag and leave the room.

A short time later, he returned, setting his bag down and fixing his gym clothes, a black tracksuit with jogger bottoms. He was surprised to see that Kakashi had also changed, and was in a black hoodie and blue flannel pajama pants.

They pulled out beers and pizza and sat at the counter eating, when Iruka's phone pinged.

He wiped a hand and opened it, sighing.

"My friends sent updates about the party," he said. 

"And?"

"And, it looks like they're having fun, and the guy I was supposed to meet has been spending the night talking to a pineapple."

Kakashi snorted. "I'd say you dodged a bullet, clearly he doesn't have good taste. Who dresses up like a pineapple?"

Iruka laughed. "I guess you're right. But other people might say the same about me dressing up like an anime character."

"An anime character who could beat up the bad guys in real life," Kakashi pointed out. "It was a nice costume, I have to admit."

"A real compliment from you? Is it the beer talking already?" Iruka teased, and Kakashi sighed. 

"I'm a nice guy, underneath the underneath," he said, pausing. "But, sorry you had to miss the party, though."

Iruka shrugged. "Making sure Naruto had a good time is more important."

They ate in silence for a few moments, before Kakashi cleared his throat.

"Well, it's no party, but we have pizza, beer, and candy, and since the kids went up, we can watch whatever we like."

"That's true," Iruka said, smiling. "Scary movie?"

"Scary movie," Kakashi agreed. "Maybe a classic one?"

Iruka's smile grew wider. "Definitely!"

They moved their party to the living room and put on a black and white thriller, eating and making small talk during it.

When it was over, Iruka stood and stretched, before grinning at Kakashi.

"Want to play a prank on the kids?" he asked, and the older man raised an eyebrow.

"What did you have in mind?"

____

The men crept upstairs quietly. The faint sounds of a slasher film spilled from Sasuke's room, and the boys sounded like they were talking about a scene from the movie.

Outside the room, Iruka held up a hand to Kakashi, and they stared at each other for a moment before nodding.

Suddenly, they flung the door open and ran in with their phone flashlights, yelling, and the boys shrieked and dove under their covers.

Laughing hysterically, Iruka and Kakashi ran back out.

"Happy halloween!" Iruka shouted before he closed the door as the kids hurled insults at them.

Iruka reached out and stilled Kakashi just past the door, and Kakashi watched as Iruka flattened himself against the wall.

The bedroom door opened and the boys walked out.

"No fair!" Naruto shouted. "You didn't really get us anyway!"

Just then, however, Iruka jumped out.

"Boo!" he shouted, and the kids shrieked again and ran back into the bedroom.

Iruka grabbed Kakashi's hand and ran back downstairs, where they paused in the kitchen, panting and laughing.

"I can't believe that worked," Kakashi gasped.

"That was amazing!" Iruka agreed, wiping tears from his eyes. He shook his head. "That went so well!"

Kakashi shook his head as well. "You're full of surprises, aren't you? A teacher who does martial arts and scares kids on Halloween?"

Iruka made a face at him. "Way to stereotype teachers. But," he said, shrugging. "You're more fun than I thought you would be. I didn't think you'd survive trick or treating."

"What can I say, I had good incentive," Kakashi said, and Iruka raised an eyebrow.

They headed back to the living room and flopped onto the sofa, looking for their next movie.

"You may have missed out on being set up with your friend's friend," Kakashi began, "but I'm technically a friend of a friend too...."

Iruka looked away from the television and smiled at him. "Are you asking me out?"

"Would you say yes?"

Iruka looked back at the television, a smile still on his face as he scrolled through movies. "Yes."

"Great," Kakashi said, handing Iruka his phone. "Can I get your number then?"

Iruka pursed his lips as he focused on putting his number in, and dialed himself to save Kakashi's into his phone before he passed it back.

"Iruka-sensei?" Kakashi read, and Iruka laughed.

"It's a play on me being a teacher, and the anime I dressed like," he said. "You can change it if you want."

"Nah, I like it," Kakashi said. "What did you save me as?"

"Your name and a dog emoji," Iruka laughed, as he selected a movie and settled into the couch more, or tried to.

They went through a little dance, shuffling around in their seats, unsure of how to sit near the other now that there was a new electricity in the air.

Eventually, they were sitting on their own cushion on either side of the sofa, both slightly leaning in towards each other over the middle cushion, content in just being near each other as they discussed what to do for their date.


End file.
